Chicago White Sox Hire Tony La Russa As Manager, Confuse Baseball World

The Chicago White Sox have hired Tony La Russa to be their manager in a decision that has baffled much of the baseball world. The 76-year-old has been out of MLB for a decade and appears to be a strange fit with such a young roster.

La Russa hasn’t been in the dugout since he managed the St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series championship in the 2011 season. Chicago gave La Russa his first managerial job in 1979, and he was fired in 1986, a move White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf has since regretted.

The hiring of Tony La Russa has ruffled feathers in the White Sox organization. A number of employees have concerns about his ability to connect with younger players and how he will adapt to the field after being away 9 years.

This was a Jerry Reinsdorf decision. Simple as that.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 29, 2020

The White Sox were viewed by many to have the most desirable managerial opening and likely had their pick of AJ Hinch or Alex Cora. Instead, they hired 76-year-old Tony La Russa. A lot of people across baseball are absolutely baffled.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) October 29, 2020

The White Sox just posted a 35-25 record in a truncated 60-game season, making their first place appearance since 2008. Louis Robert, Eloy Jimenez and Yoan Moncada, three of Chicago’s best position players, are 25 years old or younger. Tim Anderson, the 2019 batting champion, is 27 years old and well-known for his bat flips.

Several White Sox players knelt during the national anthem earlier this season in order to protest social and racial injustice. La Russa told ESPN’s Dan Le Batard in 2016 that he wouldn’t allow those protests to take place on his team.

Important context for White Sox clubhouse: Tim Anderson is an incredibly important figure. Many teammates cite him as a huge source of energy for everyone around him, and that he is a big reason why that team is willing to show their personalities on the field.
— Joon Lee (@joonlee) October 29, 2020

“There’s a lot going on in a very healthy way since 2016,” La Russa told reporters Thursday, saying he’s changed his stance in regard to kneeling during the anthem. “And not only do I respect, but I applaud the awareness that’s come into, not just society, but especially in sports. If you talk about specifically baseball, I applaud and would support the fact that they are now addressing, identifying the injustices, especially on the racial side.”

La Russa was also asked about players like Anderson who often celebrate at home plate. The manager indicated that he doesn't believe there will be an issue.

Baseball has changed a lot since La Russa last managed. Maybe his decision to return to the sport means he’s ready to accept those embraces those changes.

La Russa becomes the third-oldest manager in MLB history. He has the third-most wins of all time and has already been inducted into the Hall of Fame.